Playground device



March 12, 1963 J. w. GREGORY 3,081,083

PLAYGROUND DEVICE Filed Oct. 24, 1960 2 Shuts-Sheet 1 1/ m" 1 r f 1 l7 22 9 14 r I 15 I fi Z3 1 7 INVENTOR James W. Gregory ATTORNEY March 1963 J. w. GREGORY 3,

PLAYGROUND DEVICE Filed Oct. 24, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l l l l l l lll l l Fig.1 9 5 1L f6 7 v '1 f 7 15 INVENTOR x4 /3 7 5 i James W Gregory I /9 2a BY ME I ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,081,083 PLAYGROUND DEVICE James W. Gregory, 922 Hollywood Ave., Dallas, Tex. Filed Oct. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 64,344

- 1 Claim; (Cl. 272-7) This invention is concerned with playground equipment, primarily for children, and is particularly concerned with a playground device having rotatable seats thereon, which are rotated about a pole by a spiral track extending about the pole which operates in conjunction with wheels mounted on the frame supporting the rotatable seats.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a playground device having a frame with seats on the outer end thereof rotatably disposed about a pole. The frame has wheels mounted thereon, running on a spiral track so that when weight is disposed upon said frame, the wheels will have a tendency to roll downwardly about the spiral track and cause the seats on the outer end of the frame to be whirled about the pole.

Another object of the invention is to provide a childs playth-ing of the type here indicated wherein means is provided at the top of the pole to stop the rotation of the seat carrying frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide means at the lower end of the spiral track, which provides a stop to prevent the rotatable frame from running olf of the spiral track and at the same time permits it to coast to a stop as it rotates about the pole.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed specification hereinafter following and by referring to the drawings annexed hereto.

Suitable embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the attached drawings in which:

FIGURE I is a side elevational view of the playground device;

FIGURE II is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE III is a front view of one of the ladders used in conjunction therewith;

FIGURE IV is an end view of the playground device;

FIGURE V is a view taken along the line V-V of FIG. I; and

FIGURE V1 is a modified form showing an enlarged side elevational view of the wheel carriage mechanism for the device.

Numeral references are employed to designate the Various parts shown in the drawings, and like numerals indicate like parts throughout the various figures of the drawings.

The numeral 1 indicates a cylindrical post which is made of heavy tubular material, or may be solid. The post 1 is preferably set in concrete 10 in a hole provided in the earth 27. A spiral band 2 is secured to, and extends about, the post 1. A

A flange 3 is provided on the upper end of the post 1 and a vertically disposed lug 4 is secured to the post 1 adjacent the flange 3 to provide a stop for the frame carriage as Will be hereinafter described.

The sea-t carriage frame 5 includes side members 5a and 5b and cross braces 5c.

A top plate of heavy metallic material 6 is secured to the side frames 5a and 5b of the seat carriage 5 by means of suitable bolts 7. The top plate 6 has a circular passage 6a therethrcugh which embraces the post 1 and is rotatable thereabout.

An upper wheel 8 is rotatably disposed between the wheel brackets 9, and said wheel brackets ar secured to the plate 6 by means of bolts 11, which extend through the upper plate 6 and the wheel brackets 9. The wheel 3,081,083 Patented Mar. 12, 1963 ing nuts 13.

The lower wheel 14 is rotatably mounted between the wheel brackets 15 which are mounted by suitable bolts 16 passing through the upper plate 6, and are held in adjusted relationship on the bolts 16 by means of the adjusting nuts 17.

It will be noted that the wheels 8 and 14 are arranged to roll about the spiral band 2 as the carriage moves up and down the pole 1 in a circular motion. As force is exerted upwardly and downwardly on the carriage 5, the wheels 8 and 14 are caused to roll about the spiral 2 to thereby cause the carriage to rotate about the pole 1.

A stop member 18 which is pivoted at one end to the post 1 and is free at the other end is provided to permit the upper wheel assembly to coast about the pole 1 when the carriage reaches the lower end of the spiral 2 disposed about the pole 1.

A similar lower stop 19, which is pivoted at one end to post 1 and is free at the other end, is arranged to allow the lower wheel to coast about the pole when it reaches the flange 28 at the lower end of the pole 1.

Seats 20 are provided at each end of the seat carriage frame 5, said seats having suitable hand rails 21 provided therea-bou-t and a foot rest 22 extending across between the side frames 5a and 5b. Ladders 23 are provided at each end of the seat carriage frame 5, having platforms 25 at the upper ends thereof. The ladders are preferably set in concrete 24 provided in holes in the earth 27.

A rope 26 is attached at one end of the seat carriage frame 5 for the purpose of pulling the seat carriage 5 upwardly on the pole 1 so that it may be mounted by participants and ridden down in the manner hereinafter described.

In the modification shown in FIG. VI, a lower circular plate is rotatably mounted about pole 1, and bolts 11 and 16 pass therethrough, and are secured thereto by suitable bolts to provide additional bracing for wheel assemblies 89 and 1415.

The operation and function of the playground device hereinbefore described is as follows:

The seat carriage 5 is moved upwardly to the top of the pole 1, either by pushing it upwardly as it rotates about the pole on the spiral 2, or it may be pulled upwardly by the rope 26 by the participants mounting the ladders 23. As the seat frame moves upwardly, the wheels 8 and 14 rotate about the spiral band 2, causing the carriage 5 to rotate about the pole 1. The two participants climb the ladders 23 to the platforms 25 and when the seats 20 are substantially in alignment with the platforms 25, the participants step off onto the seats, grasp the handrails 21, brace their feet against the foot braces 22, and the weight of their body causes the rollers 8 and 14 to roll downwardly about the spiral band 2, causing the frame 5 to rotate rapidly about the pole. When the lower wheel 14 reaches the flange 28, it is in alignment with the pivoted arm 19, and the wheel 8 is also in alignment with the pivoted arm 18. As the seat carriage 5 rotates about the pole 1, the wheels will pivot the free outer ends of the arms 18 and 19 upwardly as the wheels pass thereunder, thereby allowing the seat frame to coast to a stop.

When the seat frame is pulled to the upper end, it is caused to stop when the upper wheel 8 engages the ver-- Having described my invention, I claim:

In a playground device of the class described, an upright post; a spiral track disposed about the post; a passenger carrying frame member rota-tably disposed about the post; a pair of vertically spaced wheels attached to the frame and engaged with the spiral track, whereby when force is exerted downwardly on the frame, the wheels are caused to roll on the spiral track to cause the rotation of the frame; a flange about the lower end of the post; an arm pivotally attached to the post at the lower end of the spiral track, and having a free outer end in engagement with the flange, said arm constituting a continuation of the spiral track to the flange; another arm constituting a part of the spiral track in spaced vertical relation to the flange, said other arm being pivoted to the post at one end and free of attachment to the spiral track at the other end, the free ends of said arms being engageable by said wheels, whereby when the lower Wheel engages the flange, the wheels may freely coast about the post by lifting up the free ends of the arms to permit the frame to coast to a stop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 703,146 McAnulty June 24, 1902 1,202,710 Hartmeister Oct. 24, 1916 1,671,403 Brown May 29, 1928 

